What is Basecamp and how can I use it?

You use Basecamp to manage you projects and collaborate with your staff and customers

I love Basecamp and have used it for years. With Basecamp you can look very professional on a tight budget. It is so simple that all my customers can use it without hardly a thought. It keeps us all on the same page throughout the design and building process.

Basecamp is a simple to use collaborative, web-based application that lets you set milestones, send and receive messages, set tasks and to-dos for members of your team, track time on each to-do list and person, upload and download files, set up writeboards, and even chat.

That is a lot to understand, so here is an in-depth example of how we set up a typical remodeling project using Basecamp.

Let’s start from the beginning.  When a lead calls in we immediately set up that lead as a Project in Basecamp.  We’ll call it the Jones project.  All information is gathered within a project, so you can easily track each project.  Then we enter the person’s information in the contact area of Basecamp. Basecamp sends your client a pre-made Welcome email with their user name and password which we set up.  When they respond to this email and log in to Basecamp using the link, user name and password emailed to them, they are immediately greeted with a video of how to use Basecamp.  It is so easy for most that even that is not necessary.  Every module of Basecamp starts with a video if you are visiting it for the first time.
So now the channel of communication is open.  Your client cannot see any other project.  You can let others in your company see whatever you wish, and have the ability to make changes or not.  Broadcasts to your whole company are as easy as writing your message and clicking “Notify My Company”, no matter how many employees you have.  The same is true if your client has many people involved in the project, maybe their whole company.  Just click on “Notify The Jones Company” and it goes to them all, or click on each individual in the company.

Now we can set up information such as the date I of my first visit and when they can expect their estimate.  Already you are looking pretty good in their eyes.  Do you think any one of your competitors is doing this?  And it took you 10 minutes.  I share these milestones (important dates and events) on the Milestone calendar with the potential client.  I click on the date, make a note. Then click on the name of the client and an email is sent notifying them that a milestone has been posted.  This is typical of all postings.  You can notify the client, or your company, or all the above with just one click.

So I visit the client, go back to the office and start writing up Requests for Quotes (RFQ).  I have already set up my trades in the People and Permissions area .  Now I select all of the ones that will be participating in this project just by checking by their names.  I upload the RFQ to Basecamp and click on my supervisor’s name and the name of a trades person.  The two are notified that there is a new RFQ that needs their attention.  I do this for each Request for Quote that I write.  I also upload any installation or product manuals so everyone is on the same page.  I will receive my quotes for the job in a timely fashion and they will be accurate.  The client does not see these because I have set up what I call a sub-project which is actually just another project.  The sub-project name might be Jones project-Trades only.  This is where I’ll post all of the trades files, messages, plans, emails, work orders, installation manuals and pertinent photos.  (I also set up another sub-project called Jones project-Company only, for confidential inter-office information, time tracking, and our scheduled milestones and to-dos.)

So far we have done no more work than usual and yet have successfully re-greeted our client, increasing their confidence in our abilities, sent out RFQ’s in a very timely manner, and started the timeline for the job.  And it is all recorded and easily accessed by those with permission.  When the job does start, the RFQ’s are changed to Work Orders (WO) that all the trades can see and use.  Photos can be posted showing progress or asking a trade about a question on the job.  The paper trail continues.  You can use this in all sorts of ways, even in litigation if necessary.  Actually this is a great way to stay out of court.

During the job the client can see their contract, pre-construction conference document, change orders, plans, pictures of the project and exchange messages easily with me.  Many clients keep their Basecamp page open all day at work and also when they get home.  They can instantly see any notifications, photos or new documents.  We can contact them when we need them.  Like when we accidentally set the burglar alarm off.  Most importantly, you have a record of everything that goes on during that project.

When the job closes, after a period of time has passed, you can archive the job.  Basecamp will store all of this information for you.  No limit on this that I know of.  The project can not be modified at this point though.

Truly the best thing since sliced bread.  This is just one example of the uses for Basecamp.  It has many, many more uses by all kinds of companies.  Click here to visit their site for more information, videos and signing up.

Here’s a sampling of what the user’s are saying:

“It has given me the ability to organize so well that my client list has grown exponentially.  The minute you have more than one client you will need something to organize your thoughts, to-do’s, important dates, and collaborations.  Basecamp is that tool.  It has given me the ability to organize so well that my client list has grown exponentially.  I am a better designer because I can keep all my business stuff in one place and focus on being creative.”
-Best Web Apps for Web Developers

Other comments:

• It is Hosted, It is intuitive and yet powerful. It has REALLY been a true lifesaver (We are a medical professional services company so this is likely literally true). The new video “How To” clips were a REAL help in getting the rest of my organization to adopt Basecamp.
• I’m new to Basecamp but it is powerful and easy to use.
• Clarity of to-dos, ability to share with team, writeboards
• Document sharing. My client has difficulties with FTP, and this is absolutely ideal.
• Wow…that’s a tough one…never used anything so powerful
• Simplicity. Focus on communication and collaboration (rather than Gantt charts and such “project management” stuff).
• Simple to use, fast, short learning curve
• I can access my projects from any computer. Keeps things ordered even if lots of people communicating. I like that I can sync with my iCal. And that it feels very mac friendly – that is fantastic.
• The communication by e-mail and more to my present and futures employers
• The ease of use! No major training required.
• Simple interface and functionality. It is an approachable project management solution to introduce to people who aren’t prone to accept changes.
• SIMPLICITY! SIMPLICITY! It has what’s needed and nothing more. Milestones for motivation, to-do lists for “requirements”, and ways to keep notes.
• Time-sheets, auto emailing of messages, to do list items
• Nice UI and look and feel.
• Sticks to a few things and does them extremely well
• The simplicity. I use every feature and I can’t think of any other software, in history, where I use every feature.
• Intuitive. Not branded. Cheap.

If you have any questions, post a comment and I’ll reply.  I hope this example has given you at least a glimpse of how Basecamp can help you and your business.  Business is all about communicating and staying in touch.  37signals who developed Basecamp is a genius at this.  They also have contact management (Highrise) and other software, which all work the same way.  If you understand one, you will quickly learn their other products.  Check them out at 37signals site.